London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed on Wednesday that it has passed a “complete file” to the Crown Prosecution Service over its investigation into a Premier League player who was arrested on suspicion of rape in July 2022.
“A full file has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and detectives continue to work with prosecutors,” a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said in a statement issued to multiple media outlets. “Those who have gone to the police continue to receive support from Met officers.”
The CPS will now consider the file and make a decision whether or not to charge the player, although the timetable for when that decision will be made is unclear.
The player, who is in his 30s but has not been identified because UK law only names those officially accused, is under investigation for four different alleged sexual crimes between April 2021 and June 2022 involving three victims. different. He was arrested in July 2022 after the Metropolitan Police received a report that a woman in her 20s had been raped the previous month. While the player was in police custody, he was also arrested on suspicion of two other rape incidents that allegedly took place in April and June 2021 against another woman in her 20s.
He was initially released on bail, but police questioned him again in February 2023 after learning of an additional sexual offense allegation that took place a year earlier against a third victim. The player’s status was later changed to released under investigation in August 2023, and he was interviewed by police for a third time last November.
The player has not been suspended by his club since his arrest in July 2022 and continues to play denying the allegations.
If the CPS decides to charge the player, the right to privacy that has resulted in his name being hidden will come to an end.
